#OHLQ Drops (the ball?), Camping Out, and Old Forester 117 Series; Ep. 86

Dan and Bob: Good evening. Welcome to Bourbon Brass and Beyond. How's everybody tonight? Crazy day. Long day. Long day. you know the kids back to school is a blessing and a curse. Yes. yours are out there on the same bus stop as mine. Lily's up at five, somewhere between five thirty and five forty five. Catch the bus by six thirty ish. And she has danced tonight until nine. So we drop I drop her off and I we come over and so she's been up for sixteen hours now. Yeah. Get to do it all over again tomorrow. Yeah. So yeah. So I now now my three boys are not they're not in school yet. They start tomorrow. I didn't know this. Yeah, they start tomorrow. but they had cross country meet tonight. So we went over there, did that, just yeah crazy day. Of course, the big news of the day. Or not. Or lack thereof. Yeah. So the end of last week in Ohio, OHLQ listened to this. Like six stores got the wild turkey gold foil. Austin Nichols Archives, Cheesy Goldfoil. Yeah. Okay. So everybody, most people, thought that it would come to one of the l larger liquor stores. Not everybody got it. No, not everybody got it. But it was just like targeted. Yeah. But normally bigger stores. Bigger stores that ha do a lot of volume and have a lot of selection get Stuff like that. So all of us that thought that Chalet would get it this morning camped out last night. How'd that go? So I I got I stopped there on my way home from the airport. Saw everybody out. I'm like, all right, I'll be back. Left yeah and went back. We camped out. Actually we had a good time. Yeah. people had some samples and yeah. We we had a r great conversation. And now thinking back on it, I wish I would have recorded. Yeah. Just hanging out. Just hanging out. 'Cause we we did have s some great stuff. And and some random people that, you know, we've seen but stop by and see who's in line. Gary and Kenny stayed overnight last night. Okay. And of course Calvin and Nick ended up showing up at did he? three o'clock morning, but but we thought they would get at least a case. Yeah. We I I had seen anywhere between four and six bottles at the places that we're getting at. Listen, I think it's this is the hard part is you're the day after the holiday. Yeah. I think that usually their truck is loaded on a Monday. The stuff OHLQ did announce came out this week. I But here's here's I'm surprised they dropped it at all. Well but but here's my my my problem with OHLQ. Whoever is running the warehouse or running the website, there is no communication between anybody because they had it on the website that it was available. No locally. Not locally, but at stores. Half the stores that showed it available weren't gonna sell it. Well, I think that that's Exactly my point is that the they probably said not everybody got their deliveries, you shouldn't sell it this week. But n that's not why. They just said no, we're doing it. But some did sell it. Yeah. And they were sold out like that. Those will probably get in trouble. Well I hope not. Don't get me wrong. But but but what that it's just another example how although I understand why there is OHLQ, it is a quagmire. It is a poorly run quagmire. I I don't know if I'm gonna agree with that. And the reason I'm gonna say this is that is it better in Pennsylvania? Different setup, different everything. It's better in a state. I mean the whole state of Pennsylvania is Is it better in Kentucky? Is it better in Tennessee? I think it is I think it is better in Kentucky. I first of all, it's where most of the stuff is produced, and I don't think it is. You walk there are Availability might be better, but the pricing sure isn't. I I think I think that's the difference is that everybody wants museum pieces, then that's exactly why those stores have what they have. I listen, I if if the manufacturer sets their price. I'm not saying, well yeah, but they don't, because that's not the same way. I I'm not saying Ohio is great. What I'm saying is that the people that you know and live did that live in different states, wouldn't they rather all be in Ohio right now if they're buying whiskey? If they're buying Buffalo Trace whiskey. Okay. point being that that is call me a tater, whatever you want to do this discussion. It's 60% of the stuff that people hunt. I I I agree. Maybe even more than that. I I I And I'm not gonna say to your I I listen, I I I don't you asked me last night. I don't know if I would have ever have said I would have expected it today. So If you're going to release something in the state and you're not going to do it via a lottery or a a controlled release where everything goes out evenly, then it's it's then it's then it's a micromanaged state, just like Pennsylvania or Kentucky. Because now you're picking and choosing. You're picking and choosing, or somebody is picking and choosing which stores get a special drop. and it's not available to everybody. I don't I don't think there's enough of that to be available to everybody. Okay. Then then you have to do a lottery. Because that's the only thing that's stopping the flippers. I disagree with that. I I I think that The people that were in line last night with you, hoping for cheesy gold foil, how many of those guys were flippers? The people who wanted it were in line. But then as of this morning, if you go to the OHL Q app, now it says not available from the supplier. But yet we know that there's a store in Dayton that still has six bottles that they refuse to sell. So now OHLQ's lying. So I I just don't And and the other thing they released in certain locations was the Russell's Reserve thirteen. I agree. I've heard version because they've been sitting on it in the damn warehouse for a year and a half. This I agree. This is this is utter bullshit. That I agree with. Yeah, because you you you have one from this year too, right? From this year, yeah. I have one from this year too, yeah. But but that's just weird. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, I I no system is perfect. I And I think that's my point, is that I believe we have of the lesser evils. I go to Florida. I've heard nightmares about Florida. I've got friends that live in Wisconsin. Those guys, I they get 1792 more than we do. They get Larrikan more than we do. But that's about it. Like the way those disguise describe it is it's a freaking desert. So I I think that's my take on this, is that I no system is perfect. My everybody complains about PA that everything goes available online and one minute later everything's already gone because the flippers have some sort of way to buy it all. So my take is that it is not good, but it's certainly not the worst. I don't listen, I I don't you're salty because you didn't get a cheesy code foil today. Well, I I'm I'm salty because the system is broken. Yeah. Listen, we'll we'll t the big picture for sure, yeah. And I I just Yeah. And three tier systems broken. Yeah. A and I think that And it makes everything thirty percent more expense twenty percent more expensive. Right. But I also think Ohio system, internal system, how they track the bottles, how they display the bott however you wanna look at it, yeah, that's broken as well. And it just keeps happening over and over and over again. And nobody talks about it 'cause well, number one, they don't want to alienate OHLQ because then Here you are. Yeah. Well you're never gonna be the the retailers aren't the retailers are gonna sell what they're allowed to sell. That's my take. Yeah. And the liquor stores don't even know what they're gonna get. Yeah, well on a drop day. Yeah. They they have no clue. True. We we don't know what's on the truck. We know what they told us they might send. Yeah. Whether or not it shows up or I'm allowed to sell it is debatable. Yeah. And then they might have sold sent something else as well, but we just we won't know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For that matter, the Joseph Magnus email usually usually those come out on Mondays. They came out today 'cause of the holiday. I I I got the email three hours after the drop. That is, yes, that's true too. thanks for letting me know, HLQ. Yeah. Johnny on the spot. Listen, I I think that's the same reason that we have challenges. This is why our favorite stores drop days a Tuesday. On a holiday week, it makes it super weird. Yeah. So my take is that's part of this. I also think the start of the week varies, and I think the holidays screw that up. Like this week will start tomorrow. I I think if a butterfly lands in Dayton it screws up OHLQ. I think what I I would not be surprised if tomorrow and well, whenever this is released, Wednesday of this week is when everybody else starts releasing it because the holiday screwed it up or whatever that thing is. So we'll see. Yeah. Well tonight something different than Buffalo Trace or cheesy gold foil. Yeah. Since we don't have cheesy gold foil tonight to do, this is A couple bottles that we picked up when you and I were down doing the the Preston Van Winkle interview. Yep. So the first one that I'll open is from Kentucky Artisan Distillery. Which is Jefferson's. Yeah. So and I didn't realize that they do Jefferson's they do that Cream of Kentucky. yeah, yeah, yeah. they came out with a couple of these track sides. And there was another one. I I don't remember now. But we tasted through them and this was this was really good. This one, this track side is a wheated bourbon. Hundred and seven proof. Wheated bourbon that's a hundred and seven proof? No, you don't say. this bottle was signed. That's nice. John T. and or I'm sorry, Jake. I should put my glasses on. But this is the the founders release from twenty twenty five. Council of Tasters. Alright. American Spirits Council of Tasters Platinum Winner. Ascot Awards. 2025 Ascot Awards. Well that's nice. So we're gonna open that. Figure we'll start with wheated and then some Old Forester. Yeah. We'll do the old Forester, their latest. Yep, it's their distillery only one seventeenth series. Yeah. Triple char is what that one was, right? Yeah. I know I got a couple when I was down there too. Hmm. Up pop. Thank you. So Alex and I were talking about The blowing off the top versus swirling. I think I'd do both. Yeah, and especially I think Fresh Cracks especially in my book. Yeah. I the blowing the top off the top makes perfect sense. The swirling makes sense to me just to try and aerate it. Yeah. Get a little ethanol off of the nose on this. Smells young. Yeah. Doesn't say. No, I don't think it does. No. So what it was is Jefferson's is known to not distill their own stuff. Yep. This is their own stuff. Okay. So it's basically a separate special release that they're trying to Yeah. Push out first. So eventually this will be used, I believe. Eventually it'll become j the Jefferson stuff. Same mash b well probably not a one o seven in Whatever else mash built, but yeah. But then again, I mean Jefferson's has done some really good wheated stuff with the old Stitzelweller. Yes. So Yeah, but that's all limited. I'll agree with this, but it's all right. It's only a matter of time 'til that stuff's gone. Yeah, it definitely smells like the Jefferson's though. Yeah. Almost like a little bit of a Michter's Yeah, I think that's what I That Michter's toasted that we have. Mm-hmm. She smells spicy. Yeah, she's got some spice to her. Mm, man, yeah. What is that? So it actually got sweeter as it s sat on the tongue. Yeah, I get some burn on my tongue though. Yeah. Listen, I think when you're doing some of these, we're spoiled. We talk about some of the stuff that we get to taste. Yeah. I agree. I mean I'm not saying the last time I was over here we drank Pappy twenty three. So Right. Right. But and I'm not saying this is bad. It just Yeah. It almost has a rye taste to it, even though it's a wheated. Listen, I think I a hundred percent agree with that. That was the part that surprised me the most. I get a little corn on the nose. I get some some caramel, but more corn. I'm not getting I don't get a lot of barrel no vanilla jar. Yeah. And then that sweetness is almost like a confectioner sugar sweetness on the as it as it settles on the on the tongue. Yeah, it really bites like a rye though. Mm-hmm. Second poor's not as bad. Right. Yeah, I Guess now I don't know. Don't judge anything by its first sip, I guess. I mean it's a nice sweet taste. There's something There's something on that like on the sides of the mouth. Yes. On the s yes, that's exactly on my I you know, it wasn't as spicy the second time, but that w my first time I caught it on both sides of my tongue and yeah. Yeah. A hundred percent. Like a rye. Like a rye. Yeah. Interesting. So we came home with from two bottles from Kentucky Artisan. Did you? This one and a single barrel Jefferson's. Okay. And we tried a couple different single barrels. I was to say I thought you tried that one already, right? Yeah. Yeah. while we were there and the other one stuff like any of yeah. Okay, the one you got. Yeah the the one we got. But the other one tasted really young. Yeah. their juice? Their juice. No, that But this one did not. So and this is also their juice. Okay. so was happy with that. Yeah. That time I got the sides of my tongue burny. Yeah. Hmm. Put this on the list to come back to and I I definitely it is a fresh crack. I think that and probably the one I had there had been open. Yeah, open. Yeah. Yeah. Or they're picking cherry picking barrels or whatever it is for samples and I don't know. Yeah. Listen, I think the palette's nicer than the flavor on this one. I don't think it either of them wow me, but Right. Yeah. It's almost like a licorice or th like that that that back of the tongue. You could tell me this was a rye and I'd believe you. Okay. Yeah. All right. Gap that boy. All right. So Founders release last year. Yep. Put that back Is that the random shelf? Yeah. A little bit everything. The random tall bottle shelf. It's a little bit everything. Yeah. These ones I listen, I think this whole s distillery only series that they run is pretty darn interesting. And I mean Old Forester does great stuff. Yeah, the three seventy-fives make me sad, but I guess it is what it is. So this is the triple char. I think it was what, 117 proof, I think. 115 proof. No, it's 117 series. Yeah, rele released in just last, well, July of 2026. Yeah. Charring barrels allows for complex flavor development. The barrels used to craft this small batch were charred three times as long as the standard old Forester barrel profile. Exceptional depth of char delivers a rich, robust flavor profile. Level four char, but I guess not. No, and I I think the level four char has become the standard. Yeah. 'cause I think before that they were doing level three. Yeah. Well I think everybody's just ratcheted up, hoping it it ages faster or something. Like that's yeah. Yeah. Not that they don't have enough whiskey aging right now. Thank you. Or that they don't have enough to meet supply, I guess, either. That's the other side of it. Right. Wait until you smell this compared to that last one. yeah, buddy. wow. Night and day different. Yeah. And I'm not getting any ethanol on this. No, none at no. Banana? Not for sure. Listen to the point, if they chart it that much, three times the normal. Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Banana bread or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. That nose is just amazing. I got two of these too. Yeah, me too. Yeah. One of them's already going as a gift, I know that. But Not to you. Might want to reconsider. Yeah, we'll see. wow. Yeah, we have family who's a big fan of old Forester and they're usually just drinking their regular stuff. I mean, they've got enough between the eighteen twenty to twenty to nineteen twenty or eighteen seventy to nineteen twenties, twenty four. Man. We've had you got another one. We've had another one of these two, didn't we? Not triple char, but I Well, no, you we have like a double oaked or something, right? What's the other one? There's another one over other. I got two. Two other ones. I have the extra, extra old. Okay. And I have it's the 1910 extra extra old. Then I had the prohibition error at school proof. Okay. I don't know that I've opened it. Yeah. And then I have an extra old. So we opened the extra wall. Yeah. I remember doing that. Nose is really good on this. You're right. Not a lot of No ethanol on this at all. No. And you're right, banana bread is crazy on this. one of things, what is it quarterly? If you go down quarterly, you can find another one basically is what it feels like. Yeah. And I like it 'cause it's kinda like that experimental series. Yeah, Buffalo Trace Experimental. I agree. Yeah. cheers I'm excited for this now. Yeah. I mean look at the legs on this thing. Still got that banana E in there. That was like That was one of the best mouthfeels I've had in a long time. Yeah. Buttery. Cooking up yeah. Super leggy too. Look at that. Yeah, that's different on the palate, but man, it's still good. Hot though, but good. See, I didn't think this bites near as much as No, no, no, no. I agree. It that's definitely got Yeah, it's shocking how much different the nose is on this compared to that first one. Man, that's good. Yeah. Yeah, that's good stuff. This smells sweeter than the wheated. Like this smells Man, it's good. Got so much out of that. That chore. Yeah. And the and the nose matches the the the palate. I think. I would love yeah, I'll agree with that. I would love to be there when they're charring whatever this barrel is. Right. Just to see what the barrel itself smells like 'cause this is That's so nice. Sweet, like you said, buttery almost. Is it it even smells that way? Yeah. That's real nice. I like it. I do too. That's a and I don't think it's overproofed or I don't and I don't think it's I think that's yeah. Like good on this one. Yeah, they could come out with a nice line of that. Got wow, make me want to go back down or when are you back down there again? Yo, you're going for now. You're going down for Kentucky Bourbon Festival, right? It's a month. Not Kentucky Bourbon Fest. I'm going down for Bourbon and Beyond. That's right. Which you heard anything else? I had good news today. So we're going to Bourbon Beyond. Yep. I reached out to the Derek Trucks Camp and APW APW. And they're gonna give us an hour. Nice. At the media tent. very cool. There's one little problem. We don't have media passes. So I reached out How do we fix that? So I reached out to the Bourbon and Beyond. And we they normally it has to go through a a process, but I think they're gonna try to push it through and get used that. So very excited. I really like the APW stuff. Yeah. And you got both sets? Two sets, right? Yeah. Three. I got well actually I think technically four. Okay. and and we did get some bottle signed by Derek. Yeah. so I'm I'm I'm pretty excited. And plus as a musician, you know, like to meet Derek is fantastic. Yeah. I really like the nose on this. Yeah, I I tell you what. Kudos. Yeah. You need to put this in a big bottle. Yeah, well. I mean what are these sixty nine? Yeah. Yeah. But if they're gonna run it like an experimental series, all right, find a way to make this a nice Don't you have do you have a nineteen twenty four? Yes. Down here. It's right up there. I'm curious what it smells like compared to this. Man, I don't remember nineteen twenty four ta smelling this good. Mm mm. No. I mean it was good, but this is that's it. Go figure. Mm. Yeah, this has even got This is sweet but not quite the same as. So the nineteen twenty four has a slightly different mash, Bill. Smell that. It smells good, but I was even gonna say it does it smell like the birthday bourbon. But I don't think I think the birthday bourbon has a little bit sweeter not as banana y. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I think that is very I think that one is very unique. It reminds me of a couple of their single barrels. Yeah. Listen, I think their single barrels are all hot hot though. Right. Like I the black hundred proof ones are where I'm at on I think those blue ones all drink over proof too. Mm. Yeah, I like this. Yeah. So You want a little nip of the extra old just to remind ourselves what that is? Tiny, tiny. Same same glass. Splash me, I'm okay in the same Good boy, there we go. See, this one tastes or smells. Oakier? That that well is super sweet smelling. So an old forester does that the heated rickhouses so that it accelerates the aging, quote unquote. But not the oxidation. Correct. Yeah, I triple charge where it's at. Yeah. Yeah, I would say that's oakier. Yeah. That tastes flat after that first one. What's the proof? Same proof on that? This proof is They're on your shirt. That's your that's your yeah. Writing keeps getting s I mean the writing on this is small. yeah, they're small. It's three seventy five. They gotta fit it in where they can fit it in. That's only ninety three proof. okay, that's why. That's what that's the difference. Yeah, it makes a whole of difference. That's the extra old. The extra, extra old. Wait, wait, this one's already open. Okay, that's a different one. Okay. That's just a little poor. Now is it flat 'cause it's been I no, I think it's 'cause it's that low proof. So that's the difference. This one's also that low proof. Good. This one smells butterscotchery. So they left so this had it the brand experimented with extended finishing by leaving the whiskey in the heavily charged secondary barrel for at least twenty-four months. Double barreled? Yeah. Twenty-four months. And this one they used the 1910. In 1910, a fire on Whiskey Road led to Old Forester being rebarreled into heavily charred barrels. This event gave birth to Old Forester Whiskey Road 1910, composed of mature old Forester bourbon, and finished in a custom made heavily charred barrel for seven to nine months. This extra old batch extends the finishing period to 18 months. So this adds another six months of finishing. Yeah, and a be second barrel. In a secondary bow. Superjar. Yep. This thing smells like grandma's Merther or Grandma's pocket candy. yeah. It's all butterscotch. Butterscotch. And on the po yeah. That's good. Yeah. Without the heavy proof of the first one. Yeah. So I it's less I get a little banana, just a little bit, mostly butterscotch. Yeah. but it's just a very sippable Yeah. That one's dangerous. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. This was which one? Extra Extra extra. Extra extra old. Hm. Okay. So that's a that's a winner. Yeah. May have to find one or two of these. So the triple char, extra, extra old. I like this one the best since we're here. the extra, extra old? Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Wow. That's easy to drink. Yeah. And like who doesn't like butterscotch from their grandma's purse? Even better if she warmed it up in her pocket. yeah. Gonna message myself so I don't forget this. What in the Sam Hell is this? So every one seventeen I've opened so far tonight had a perforated. And this one. Not so much. Not so much. So this is the Prohibition Era still proof. So once again I took the glasses off. This is during prohibition, Old Forster and five other Kentucky distillers were issued permits to bottle existing whiskey, stocks, as medicine. In 1930, the federal government granted these distillers a hundred day 100-day window to replenish their declining stocks. During this historic period, Old Forrester was distilled at 130 proof. so it went in a high barrel proof or barrel entry. Yeah. This boy's what's the proof on that? One thirty. okay. So it came out okay. Splash me. Good. How hot is it? On the nose? Not. But it also doesn't give any No, I'm not getting any like Yeah. Like I feel like these others have had a very clear this is the thing. Yeah. And this one's not. I'm just getting old Forester. Yeah. Yeah, I'm getting old Forester, this is Carmel. Yeah. Nothing special. Not bad. Maybe a little bit of grass in there. Can't quite tell what that is. Maybe the rye coming out. Extra, extra old. You're my favorite. Yeah, that's good. It's real good. You only got one of those? What else is hiding? There's something else up there. Well, I'm gonna find a couple of those. They gotta be around. Yeah. Taste approved. I tell you what, compared to at one thirty, that's pretty darn good though. That's that yeah, that's nice and sweet. Yeah. Great finish. That that first one we did was hotter than this. Yeah, the track side. Yeah. That's a nice little pour too. Yeah. That one's dangerous though. At one thirty, tasting like that. Yeah. That boy gets you. I'm not getting any of the rye bite. No. I'm not getting any of that bitterness in the back of the tongue on the sides. I like it. It is just nice and sweet. I mean, that's that's a single barrel right there. That's yeah. Yeah. Of course this is a small batch, but still, yeah. If they can get this taste, Yup. Take my money. Now if you could do a blend of the triple char and that guy? This and the extra extra old. man. Your dangerous territory there. Yeah. What are we doing after this? Equal parts. I I I gotta go to bed. All right. I gotta go w that's a tomorrow activity. Okay we can blend tomorrow. But you're right. Little bit of butterscotch. The smooth on this. Yeah. I mean there's just so much flavor in this one thirty. Yeah. Yes. Really rich. Yep. That's good stuff. Yeah, I liked it. Okay. I mean one seventeen series is a f I'm a fan. Yeah. Listen, I I yes. Yeah. And this is the I mean, we've got some rando Buffalo Trace experimentals. I think those are a little crazier, I guess. Like the one I have is hops and something and like Yeah, we gotta do those. Yeah. less like those, you know, the the Bond and Lillard and the WP Sapple ones, you know, they're they're same. So yeah, I'm I'm I'm real happy with this though. This is real nice, yeah. I'm an the listen, I you said it. I 117 series is there's not a bad pour there. No, not at all. This these are surprise of the night. Look at that. I like it. Perfect. Yeah. Well, nice. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Please like, subscribe and share. Tell us what you think about the one seventeen series. tell us if there's any other bottles that you recommend. Yeah. 'cause I I I think that we didn't have bad pour out of those. No, that they were all r really good. Yep. That extract's rolled too. I'm telling you that's what I'm doing tonight is I'm finding one of them boys. Yeah. But even that that triple charple char is good. Yeah, banana. I mean it's just pure banana. Yep. Yep. Like a ban banana puree. Yeah. Just amazing. Yep. please let us know. You know, let us know what we should look for. We appreciate it. And thanks for watching. Everybody have great night. Good night now.